The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) during this period is conducting a training of batches of would be trainers of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) on preventive measures against the spread of the novel Corona virus (COVID-19) at the United Nations home office, Cape Point in Bakau.
The training package is geared toward enhancing the capacity of personnel of the Gambia Armed Forces in the fight against COVID-19. This came in furtherance of the already existing steps of rigorous campaign taken by the Gambia Armed Forces since the outbreak of the pandemic. However, as the Corona virus continues to frustrate the efforts of the world, new techniques and tactics are being honed to continue the fight by adequately addressing the information gap, as some segment of the population seems to still be in denial.
Followers of this page may recall the numerous videos as well as various news flashes that continue to be served as a result of efforts on the side of the Gambia Armed Forces pushing to raise awareness both to her members and the general public at large. This is seen as a national responsibility by the defence institution as it continues to serve both the community of citizens and non-citizens of people across the length and breadth of the Gambia.
This training however, is intended to target as many GAF personnel as possible. The timely training of trainers organized by the UNDP has already started to fill the information gap as it provides reliable and latest statistics as well as other relevant information to the beneficiaries. The training areas touches on the following:
a. Update on COVID-19 in the Gambia and the plan put in place to address epidemic.
b. Rationale for current COVID-19 preventive measures and the role of the security in controlling the outbreak.
c. Public order management during COVID-19.
d. Human Rights (including matters on children and gender) during state of emergency.
The training also provided adequate discussions on all the areas exploited during the sessions, which includes both constraints and recommendation for the way forward. Resource personnel came far and wide from the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, Nation Centre for Human and Peoples Rights, the Gambia Police Force as well online lectures.
According to Police Commissioner Baboucarr Sowe (Rtd), it is important to train the military, as they are the natural successors of the police when they are overwhelmed. Should the need arise, we want to make sure the military is already equipped with the requisite knowledge and knowhow in order to play their role effectively as expected within the dictates of best practices among other things in a democratic state he explained.
Source: Gambia Armed Forces
